Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie is playing retro hockey. I don’t just mean that he’s a throwback to the 1930s when teams had a rover who could show up literally anywhere in the play. (A.k.a., since when is Mikhail Grigorenko a blueliner?)
I mean Tyson Barrie is playing like it’s 2014 hockey time. You remember, when the Avalanche had so much trouble scoring.
Now, yes, I realize that Barrie is technically a defenseman. But he’s an offensive defenseman — supposedly the second coming of John Michael Liles. And, yes, I realize Tyson Barrie has 10 assists in 15 games.